Brazil: Bolsonaro supporters invade key places of power, he reacts
Eva Deschamps / January 9, 2023
Brazilian authorities on Monday began assessing the massive damage to the presidential palace, Congress and Supreme Court in Brasilia, a day after supporters of far-right former president Jair Bolsonaro stormed the building.
Jair Bolsonaro was in the United States last night, during the onslaught of his supporters in Brazil, after leaving two days before Lula's inauguration, refusing to hand over the presidential sash to the man who defeated him by a short head and whom he never congratulated.
Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, whose supporters ransacked Congress, the presidential palace and the Supreme Court on Sunday, said on Twitter that "depredations and invasions of public buildings (...) are against the rule" governing "peaceful demonstrations."
In another tweet, however, Jair Bolsonaro "rejected the accusations, without proof" of his successor Lula, who said that the "speech" of his far-right predecessor had "encouraged" the "fascist vandals" who invaded places of power in Brasilia.
After several hours of chaos, the police regained control of the buildings invaded by hundreds of anti-Lula demonstrators and arrested more than 200 people, according to Justice and Security Minister Flavio Dino.